String Cheese Chicken Roulade -- Simple "Grain-free Gourmet"

This evening I made String Cheese Chicken Roulade for dinner and served it alongside a fresh green salad. I had a package of chicken cutlets in the fridge along with some large fresh basil leaves. While rummaging around in the fridge, I spotted part of a package of fresh mozzarella and some string cheese...so that's how my inspiration for dinner came together this evening. It was fairly simple to put together and it turned out really good. A roulade is simply a piece of meat rolled around cheese or veggies or a combination of both. It sounds a lot fancier that it really is and looks pretty when sliced. I snapped a few photos of my meal below as well as the super simple recipe. You can substitute whatever cheese you prefer inside and if you don't have basil, a little cooked spinach or spear of steamed broccoli, asparagus or whatever you like can be rolled up into your roulades. Enjoy!

Rolled up and ready to bake

Topped with diced mozzarella and shredded Parmesan; ready to go back into the oven

Fresh out of the oven...all the cheeses have been melted

Fresh basil has been scattered and ready to be served

This is one of the "good sauces"...all natural and no added sugar

These are the kind of ingredients that go into a "good sauce"

Voila!

String Cheese Chicken Roulade

Ingredients:

6 large chicken cutlets, approximately 1 to 1-1/4 pounds
6 large fresh basil leaves (or 12 smaller leaves)
6 1-ounce pieces of mozzarella string cheese, unwrapped
1/2 cup almond flour or meal
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (powdery style)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 large egg
2 to 3 tablespoons water
2 cups marinara sauce, heated
1 cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (or Parmesan)
Additional fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 1-1/2 quart Pyrex-type casserole dish with olive oil spray or oil.  In a shallow bowl, combine almond flour, finely grated Parmesan, pepper, salt, and Italian seasoning. In a separate small bowl, beat egg with water and season with salt and pepper.

Lay chicken cutlets out on a cutting board or other flat surface. Place 1 large basil leaf in the center of each cutlet; place a piece of string cheese crosswise on top of each cutlet and roll up snugly around the string cheese. Gently dip rolled cutlets in egg wash, one at a time; and then roll in the seasoned crumb mixture until well coated. Place each cutlet seam side down in lightly greased baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and spoon heated marinara sauce around chicken (do not add cold sauce to a hot casserole dish), leaving tops of chicken rolls exposed. Scatter diced fresh mozzarella on top; sprinkle tops of chicken rolls with shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. If desired, run under broiler for a few minutes to lightly brown cheese. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes so cheeses set. If desired, top with thinly sliced ribbons of fresh basil (chiffonade). Optional: Serve over julienned zucchini or yellow squash pasta, if desired.